The implausible scene of pop star Madonna sharing a glass of red wine with Marine Le Pen threatened to become a reality, as the French far-right leader said she has agreed to the proposed get-together.

Madonna surprisingly invited the anti-immigration politician out for a drink during a TV talk show earlier this week, days after describing Le Pen's National Front (FN) party as "Fascist".

"I think that I would like to sit down and have a drink with Marine Le Pen," she told news show Grand Journal. "I want to understand where she's coming from."

"Maybe I misunderstood Marine Le Pen, I am not sure," she continued. "I don't want to start a war. I want peace in the world."

The music icon, who once famously showed in a Paris concert, a video featuring a photo of Le Pen with a swastika imposed on the forehead, explained she would now like to hear the politician's thoughts on human rights issues.

Sources close to 46-year-old nationalist leader initially told Europe 1 she was "considering" taking up the offer.

After a few hours of pondering, which seemingly involved consideration on the effect a refusal could possibly have on France's upcoming local elections, Le Pen agreed to meet with the Like A Virgin singer.

"I accept with pleasure Madonna's invitation. I appreciate people who have a good faith approach," she told AFP.

Details of the where and when of the unlikely gathering might take place were not immediately given.

Last week, the 56-year-old singer who is visiting France at the moment, compared the country to Nazi Germany.

The break-in occured on Sunday at the Chinese Museum in Fontainebleau Castle and was over in less than seven minutes.

French cultural officials reported that 15 art works were stolen from a Chinese museum south of Paris, including a replica crown of the King of Siam given to France in the 19th century.Police have launched an investigation

Four days after French MPs went on an unofficial trip to meet with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, much to the chagrin of President François Hollande, a bitter rift is growing among French politicians on how to deal with the Syrian leader.

Despite the vast gains made by the Islamic State (IS) group in Iraq and Syria, the French government’s line has been and remains that under no circumstances will it cooperate with Assad in the battle against the Islamic militants.

But it is a policy that is being increasingly questioned by French MPs, even those within the ruling Socialists’ own party.

On Wednesday, the dissent turned into outright defiance as lawmakers Jacques Myard and Jean-Pierre Vial of the centre-right UMP, François Zocchetto of the centrist UDI and Socialist Gérard Bapt headed to Damascus where three of them held direct talks with Assad. Bapt says he was not part of the meeting.

The rise of the French far right continues apace. And, despite a wave of revelations that it has fielded racist, bizarre and geriatric candidates, the Front National could make sweeping gains in important elections this month.

An opinion poll published today gave Marine Le Pen’s Front National (FN) 29 per cent of support in the local elections on 22 and 29 March – joint top with the centre-right. Other polls in recent days have placed the FN ahead with 30 per cent of support nationwide.

The surveys also point to a polarisation of political opinion in France since the jihadist attacks on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish grocery in Paris in January, with many urban and young voters still clinging to the “Republican spirit” of the epic marches “against hatred” in Paris and other cities on 11 January.

French-News-Online.com's insight:

The Way Things are Going Marine le Pen Could be French President in 2017 – L’Express

FRANCE - DRC - BELGIUM - A Belgian businessman has been sentenced to 20 years in jail in his absence for the murder in France of two Congolese in an apparent attempt to wipe out plotters of a coup...

against former president Laurent-Désiré Kabila 14 years ago.

A court in Grenoble in the French Alps sentenced Belgian entrepreneur Benoit Chatel to 20 years in jail for his role in the killing of Philémon Mwami Naluhwindja and Aimé-Noël Atembina, whose bodies were found in a blazing car in a field of maize on 29 December 2000 near the central city of Lyon.

Moscow retaliated to a string of Western sanctions last year by imposing a ban on European agricultural products, but one of France’s best-known canned vegetable firms has since seen its profit margins soar in Russia.

Europe’s agriculture sector reacted with alarm in August 2014, when Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a law banning imports of EU vegetables and fruit for a minimum of one year.

The Russian restrictions, which also targeted North American countries and included a wide range of food products, came after the West slapped sanctions on Russia for its role in the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

But at least one leading French vegetable producer has not become collateral damage in the commercial tit-for-tat.

he city of Paris appeared to have buried the hatchet with Airbnb on Thursday after the short-term rental website promised to comply with city regulations to start collecting a lodgings tax. Paris is the No. 1 destination for Airbnb users.

It was all smiles and handshakes when Airbnb’s CEO Brian Chesky appeared before the cameras with Deputy Mayor Bruno Julliard at the Town Hall in Paris.

“We had a very cordial discussion,” said the deputy mayor, while Chesky hailed the French capital as Airbnb's "Number one city".

The meeting came two weeks after Parisian hotel owners penned a letter to Prime Minister Manuel Valls, angered by what they describe as “unfair” competition from the San Francisco-based rental website

It must be getting cold in the climate science greenhouse, so cold the denizens have taken to hunting witches and burning them to keep their theories of climate change alive.... In the end it is the warmists who will come out of this looking like the pathetic political witch hunters they are, the self-proclaimed 97-percenters who are really much smaller in number and are clinging to science theories and climate models that now appear to be less than reliable. Christopher Essex, a professor of mathematics at the University of Western Ontario, entertainingly describes the state of mainstream climate science in another commentary on this page. He also calls for fresh unorthodox thinking. “Research must transcend the zeitgeist,” he writes. And the witch hunts.

As the latest Charlie Hebdo issue hit the newsstands Wednesday, editor Gérard Biard told FRANCE 24 that it’s back to business, with the magazine taking on familiar bêtes noires, which do not include Islam.

The second Charlie Hebdo issue to be published since the January 7 deadly attack on the weekly features a dog with a copy of the magazine clamped in its jaws, being chased by a herd of figures. They include far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen, former French president Nicolas Sarkozy, the pope, a jihadist and a businessman.

“Here we go again!” reads the headline.

Speaking to FRANCE 24 on Wednesday, Biard said that, “[The Prophet] Mohammed had no reason to be on this one”, noting that the new issue marks a return to lampooning the old establishment figures. “It [takes on] the old pests who have never let us down, and [the Prophet] Mohammed is not a pain-in-the-ass -- that was an image manipulated by the terrorists.

French-News-Online.com's insight:

The French Myth of Secularism – Can Muslims be Fully Secular and also French?

BORDEAUX, FRANCE: For five weeks, a French version of "Downton Abbey" has been unfolding in a courtroom here, providing a rare glimpse into the discreet lives of the ultrarich.

The real-life drama, set in an Art Moderne mansion in Neuilly-sur-Seine, an exclusive town west of Paris, features a cast that includes long-serving chambermaids, cooks and butlers who tended to one of the world's richest women, whom they call "Madame." There are also high-powered lawyers, advisers and confidants accused of exploiting her fading mental state to plunder cash, artworks, life insurance and a private Seychelles island.

One week ago, when reporting on the latest bizarre plan presented by the Pentagon, namely providing Syrian rebels (but only the moderate ones, not the jihadists like al Nusra, or, well, ISIS) with B-1B Bomber air support in their attacks on ISIS, when we wrote that this "means in the coming weeks and months look forward to a surge in false flag "attacks" blamed on the Assad regime, aiming to give Obama validation to expand the "War against ISIS" to include Syria's regime as well." We didn't have long to wait: in an entirely unsourced Time article written today by Aryn Baker, the Middle East Bureau Chief, the stage for the second attempt at invading Assad regime is finally set.

French-News-Online.com's insight:

See our related earlier Scoopit

French-Syrian relations thaw claims Al-Monitor as emissaries are attacked back home

the French bloc in the Quai d’Orsay and the Elysee, which is hostile to Damascus, is no longer coherent.

It is, however, too early to predict a rapid change in the French position. Yet, it is the first step made by a state that was and continues to be the leader in obstructing any chance to reconsider the position toward Syria within the EU, which is claimed by countries such as Italy, Spain, Sweden and the Czech Republic. France, along with Britain, took the initiative to impose sanctions on Damascus, and to form a Friends of the Syrian Group opposition, and worked for three years on managing the diplomatic war against Damascus.

The role of the four parliament members should not be underestimated in the French parliamentary and political scene, nor in terms of the decision-making process. The socialist parliament member and cardiologist Gerard Bapt represents an important parliamentary current in handling ties in the Mashriq through the Franco-Lebanese and Franco-Syrian friendship associations. He is also a close associate of President Francois Hollande.

French-News-Online.com's insight:

An interesting reaction given how strongly the French MPs have been attacked and ridiculed by anti-Assad lobbies in Paris. It was President Hollande who was the most gung ho European to want to bring down Assad before the Deash terror caused the West to switch sides again.

Will the French find ways to contain the already vast and still growing threat of extremist terrorism and protect the future of a free and democratic France? Or will they through political correctness and fear allow innocent citizens to fall victim to a swamp of intolerance and fanaticism? Will they pay greater attention to the protection of a dwindling Jewish population, or yield to the blatant hatred of Islamic terrorism? Like all people who love freedom and revere justice and equality, I wonder if the current display of solidarity to core democratic principles will make any difference to the twisted minds of bloodthirsty religious fanatics who seem to be growing unabated on the planet.

I wish I were more optimistic. The contribution of the comparatively small Jewish community of France, which represents less than one percent of the nation’s population, has hoisted France into one of the highest cultural orbits on the planet.

In my opinion, the Jewish population, out of fear and self-preservation, will dwindle and move to more welcoming environments like Israel or the United States. Imagine how many of France’s potentially Nobel Prize-winning intellectuals, scientists and artists will be lost, many of whom will go on to help advance the human race.

France is ordering manufacturers to inform consumers how long they can expect their TV, cell phone or other appliance to last — before they buy it.

A new French government decree that came into effect this week aims at fighting so-called planned obsolescence. That is when companies design strategies to limit the life span of appliances, so that consumers will have to replace them.

The measure requires manufacturers to inform vendors how long spare parts for an appliance will continue to be produced. The vendor is then required to inform the buyer, in writing. Violators face up to 15,000 euros ($16,800) in fines.

Jews were the target of harassment in more countries across the globe in 2013 than at any time in past seven years, a study released Friday showed, with hostility towards the religious group higher in Europe than any other world region.

The report by the US-based Pew Research Center combined the results of two separate indexes – one measuring government actions that curb religious beliefs and practices and another measuring acts of social religious hostility by private individuals or organisations.

It found that harassment and hostility against Jews, either by the government or members of the public, were recorded in 77 of 198 countries surveyed in 2013, up from 71 in 2012 and the highest number since Pew first began recording figures in 2007.

It was in Europe, however, that levels of social harassment were most alarming. The study found that Jews faced this type of harassment in 34 of the continent’s 45 countries (76 percent) – a higher share than in any other region and against a global average of 25 percent.

“In France, three men attacked a teenager who was wearing a kippah in Vitry-Sur-Seine in March, threatening, ‘We will kill all of you Jews’,” said the report. “In Spain, vandals painted a large swastika on the walls of a bull ring in the city of Pinto in August, along with the words “Hitler was right.”

“And in Norway, the newspaper Dagbladet published a controversial cartoon in May that appeared to be mocking the practice of circumcision.”

French-News-Online.com's insight:

Does France Have a Problem? Here is Paris During a pro-Hamas Rally, Judge for Yourselves

This week, the Chairman of the Eurogroup, Jeroen Dijsselbloem arrogantly stated: “You are mistaken if you think that democracy is where one election result can change the way we work in the Eurozone”.

The President of the EU Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker is also on record saying: “There can be no democratic choice against the European Union’s Treaties”. This is of course a direct riposte to the people of Greece following the election of SYRIZA in the Greek Parliamentary elections last month. SYRIZA, whilst not overtly anti single currency, are very against the austerity measures imposed upon Greece as a condition for its two bailout programmes since 2010.

These comments by Mr Dijsselbloem and Mr Juncker are very worrying indeed and demonstrate very clearly that there is no intention to listen to the democratic wishes of the Greek people.

This is not the first time the EU has challenged democratically elected governments. In 2011, the then Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, plagued with riots on the streets of Athens following the introduction of crippling austerity measures announced that a public referendum would be held to approve the Eurozone bailout.

Whether Rolex, the official timepiece of Los Angeles Opera, knows it not, it is as much a beneficiary of the work of Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais as the opera company itself. The 18th century French playwright wrote the trilogy of plays around which the L.A. Opera's ongoing "Figaro Unbound" festival is based.

The son of a watchmaker, Beaumarchais invented an escapement for pocket watches and did other things as well. He was musician, composer, lyricist, singer, actor, poet, publisher, courtier, swordsman, spy, diplomat, shipping magnate, philanthropist and horticulturist. He served French kings in Versailles, spent time in jail for insubordination to a duke and provided aid to both the French and American revolutions.On Dec. 2 it was announced that Trombley will succeed Steven Koblik as president of the Huntington Library, Art Collection and Botanical Gardens.Were he a character in opera, he would not be found believable. But the presence of this protean, Figaro-ean figure is all over the place once you start looking, in avant-garde new operas still in development presented by the Industry last weekend or in the Charlie Hebdo tragedy in Paris.

In his 19th January letter to 1,000 mosque leaders, the UK communities secretary Eric Pickles asks how belief in Islam can be part of British identity — an acknowledgement by the government that there is lack of integration among Britain’s Muslim communities. The immediate response by Muslim leaders and organisations was typical: take umbrage and put up a “do not disturb” sign. But on 1st February the Muslim Council of Britain opened the doors of some mosques to the public as a gesture of goodwill and openness. However, it was no more than tokenism, and does not address the lack of integration. This issue is now of profound importance throughout Europe and many are losing patience with that “do not disturb” attitude of so many Muslim organisations and their demands for separate rights and resources.

One who is impatient is Ahmed Abutaleb, the Moroccan-born mayor of Rotterdam, who aroused much controversy when he bluntly told Muslims on live Dutch television on 13th January: “If you don’t like freedom, for heaven’s sake pack your bags and leave. If you do not like it here because some humorists you don’t like are making a newspaper, may I then say you can f*** off.” Such blunt comments have long been considered beyond the pale in mainstream political circles and in polite society at large. But Abutaleb’s terse view is probably shared by a majority of Europeans. The situation of Muslims in western society is now at the forefront of political thinking and will not go away. On the contrary, unease, disquiet, and tensions are likely to increase.

Whilst addressing Muslim radicalisation is now the highest priority, there are wider, societal, concerns about Muslims in the EU, which are deep-rooted. In France, an opinion poll conducted by IFOP in October 2012 found that 60% of respondents consider the influence and visibility of Islam in France are too high, and that 43% of French believe the presence of a Muslim community in France is a threat to the French identity; only 17% consider this is a source of enrichment.

French-News-Online.com's insight:

Valls’ Use of “Islamo-fascists” Provokes Widespread Reaction, Does Term Reflect Reality?

When “witch hunts” are deemed legitimate we will have fully turned science into just another arena for power politics.

From The Climate Fix blog site operated by Roger Pielke Jr., Professor at the University of Colorado’s Center for Science and Technology Policy Research, posted Feb. 25.

As some of you will already know, I am one of 7 US academics being investigated by US Representative Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) who is the ranking member of the House of Representatives Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. Rep. Grijalva has sent a letter to the president of my university requesting a range of information, including my correspondence, the letter is here in PDF.

Before continuing, let me make one point abundantly clear: I have no funding, declared or undeclared, with any fossil fuel company or interest. I never have. Representative Grijalva knows this too, because when I have testified before the US Congress, I have disclosed my funding and possible conflicts of interest. So I know with complete certainty that this investigation is a politically-motivated “witch hunt” designed to intimidate me (and others) and to smear my name.

France set out a package of reforms on Wednesday aimed at better integrating Muslims and preventing radicalisation in the wake of the recent jihadist attacks in Paris.

It outlined plans to set up a “dialogue forum”, tapping leading associations, intellectuals and other notable figures from the Muslim community for regular talks with the government.

Much of the focus will be on the training of Muslim preachers, trying to “encourage the emergence of a generation of imams fully engaged in the Republic”, an interior ministry source said.

Radicalisation in prisons is also central to the reform efforts.

Two of the three Paris attackers are thought to have been radicalised in prison, where a chronic shortage of Muslim chaplains — there are only 180 nationwide — has often ceded spiritual guidance to extremists.

France’s strict secularity laws make it illegal to count people by their religion or ethnicity, but a report on prisons by an opposition MP last year estimated that 60 percent of the prison population (roughly 40,000 people) were Muslim.

French-News-Online.com's insight:

Does France Have a Problem? Here is Paris During a pro-Hamas Rally, Judge for Yourselves

France draws on its own system of military intelligence satellites to deliver geospatial intel, a resource seen as key to political independence and used for sharing valuable data with the armed forces and allies, a defense official said.

That geospatial or geointel capability is intended to support an "autonomous appreciation" of conflicts such as Ukraine by the French Defense Ministry, the chiefs of staff and political leaders, the official said, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The geointel approach is being used to track Islamist insurgents in Iraq and Syria, and in the Sahel sub-Saharan Africa.

The Military Intelligence Department inaugurated its joint office for geointel in January, at the Creil airbase.

The head of the Diyanet (in Turkey), Mehmet Görmez, said it was a "huge mistake" that would throw Austria's tradition of tolerance towards Islam "back 100 years." He added:

"Countries come together from time to time on the grounds of security concerns and try to construct a version of Islam peculiar to their own countries, rather than increase the freedoms that would lead to unity and remove obstacles before the religious education and services, and make an effort to remove anti-Islamic sentiments and Islamophobia.

"Countries cannot have their own version of Islam. Islam is universal and its sources are clear. Therefore, religion is not a matter of engineering. I would like to restate that efforts taken by state leaders to create a version of Islam that is particular to their own countries are futile."

French-News-Online.com's insight:

"Countries cannot have their own version of Islam. Islam is universal and its sources are clear", says a Turkish religious leader referring to Austria . How will France's Muslim religious leaders respond to PM Valls declared intention to create a French version of Islam?

France set out a package of reforms on Wednesday aimed at better integrating Muslims and preventing radicalisation in the wake of the recent jihadist attacks in Paris.

It outlined plans to set up a "dialogue forum", tapping leading associations, intellectuals and other notable figures from the Muslim community for regular talks with the government.

Much of the focus will be on the training of Muslim preachers, trying to "encourage the emergence of a generation of imams fully engaged in the Republic", an interior ministry source said.

Radicalisation in prisons is also central to the reform efforts.

Two of the three Paris attackers are thought to have been radicalised in prison, where a chronic shortage of Muslim chaplains – there are only 180 nationwide – has often ceded spiritual guidance to extremists.

France's strict secularity laws make it illegal to count people by their religion or ethnicity, but a report on prisons by an opposition MP last year estimated that 60 percent of the prison population (roughly 40,000 people) were Muslim.

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